THE ASSASSIN

The Photograph

THE ASSASSIN

Chapter 2 — The Photograph

AVIRA'S POV

The room went completely silent.

I couldn't breathe.

I stared at the screen.

The photograph was still there.

My mother.

My father.

Alive.

After ten years.

My fingers tightened around my weapon.

“No…”

Jasper stood beside me, watching my reaction.

“Avira.”

“Don't.”

My voice trembled.

“Don't say anything.”

I walked closer to the screen.

My mother looked exactly as I remembered her.

The same gentle eyes.

The same smile.

But my father—

He looked older.

Much older.

And he was standing beside a man wearing a black suit.

The leader of the Black Rose.

The person I had spent ten years hunting.

A message appeared beneath the photograph.

COME TO THE OLD CLOCK TOWER. MIDNIGHT. COME ALONE.

Then the screen went black.

I turned toward Jasper.

“I’m going.”

“No.”

I stared at him.

“Excuse me?”

“You're not going alone.”

“They specifically told me to come alone.”

“That's why you're not going alone.”

I stepped closer.

“I don't need protection.”

Jasper's expression hardened.

“This isn't about protection.”

“Then what is it about?”

“You're walking into a trap.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you going?”

“Because my parents are alive.”

My voice cracked.

For the first time, I couldn't hide my emotions.

“If there's even a one-percent chance that they're alive, I'm going.”

Jasper looked at me for several seconds.

Then he nodded.

“Fine.”

I blinked.

“Fine?”

“I'll go with you.”

“No.”

“You don't get to tell me what to do.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“You're impossible.”

“So I've been told.”

A faint smile appeared on his face.

I turned away.

“Midnight.”

---

11:58 P.M.

The old clock tower stood at the edge of the city.

Abandoned.

Dark.

Perfect for an ambush.

I stood outside, wearing my black coat.

Jasper stood beside me.

I looked at him.

“You said you would stay out of sight.”

“I lied.”

“You're terrible at following instructions.”

“I don't follow instructions.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Stay here.”

“No.”

“Jasper.”

“Avira.”

We stared at each other.

Then I heard something.

Footsteps.

My expression changed.

“Someone's coming.”

Jasper immediately became serious.

A figure appeared beneath the clock tower.

A woman.

Long black coat.

Silver hair.

She stopped several meters away.

Then she slowly removed her hood.

My heart stopped.

“Mom?”

The woman looked at me.

Tears filled her eyes.

“Avira…”

I couldn't move.

My mother was standing in front of me.

Alive.

I took one step forward.

“Mom?”

She smiled through her tears.

“You grew up.”

I ran toward her.

But—

BANG!

A gunshot echoed through the night.

Jasper grabbed me and pulled me behind a concrete pillar.

My mother's body dropped to the ground.

“Mom!”

I tried to run toward her.

Jasper held me back.

“Wait!”

“LET ME GO!”

“It's a trap!”

“I DON'T CARE!”

Another gunshot hit the ground beside us.

Jasper pulled me deeper into cover.

I looked toward my mother.

She was still moving.

Alive.

Barely.

Then a man's voice echoed from the darkness.

“Hello, Avira.”

I froze.

I knew that voice.

The voice I had heard in my nightmares for ten years.

A man stepped into the moonlight.

Black suit.

Black gloves.

A black rose tattoo on his neck.

He smiled.

“Did you miss me?”

My blood turned cold.

“You…”

He smiled wider.

“Your father sends his regards.”

I raised my weapon.

“Where is he?”

The man laughed.

“You're still asking the wrong question.”

Jasper stepped beside me.

The man's eyes moved toward him.

“The Black Wolf.”

Jasper's expression was cold.

“And you must be the coward hiding behind the Black Rose.”

The man's smile disappeared.

“You have no idea what you've stepped into.”

Jasper raised his weapon.

“Neither do you.”

The man laughed.

Then he pressed something on a remote.

Suddenly—

The entire clock tower exploded.

BOOM!

I felt Jasper grab me.

We fell to the ground as flames surrounded the building.

My ears rang.

Smoke filled the air.

I looked toward my mother.

She was gone.

“Mom!”

I stood up.

But Jasper grabbed my hand.

“Avira!”

I pulled away.

“I have to find her!”

“We have to get out!”

“I'M NOT LEAVING HER!”

The tower began collapsing.

Jasper grabbed me around the waist and pulled me away just as a huge piece of the ceiling crashed down.

I struggled against him.

“Let me go!”

“Not until we're safe!”

Then—

A voice whispered through my earpiece.

A voice I hadn't heard in ten years.

My father's voice.

“Avira… don't trust Jasper Carter.”

I froze.

Jasper looked at me.

“What happened?”

I stared at him.

For the first time…

I didn't know whether the man standing beside me was my greatest ally—

or my greatest enemy.

And somewhere in the darkness…

someone was watching us.

Smiling.

Because the real game had finally begun.